Belt-fastener



G. E. PURPLE( BELT FASTVEN'ER. v APPLLCATIQN FILED IAR. l, 1919.

, y APatented June 28, 1921. V .li I K I j@ Il Z0 UNITED STATES AhlN'l'QFFIC.

GEORGE E. PURPLE, 0F LA GRANGE, ILLNOIS, ASSGNOR T FLEXIBLE STEEL LACINGCOIVILDANY, OF CHICG, LLNGIS, .EL GORFORATON 0F ILLINOIS.

BELT-FASTENER.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patnted June 28, 1921.

Application tiled March 1, 1919. Serial No. 279,965.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that l, Gnonon E. PURPLE, a citizen olf the United States,residing at La Grange, in the county of Gool( and ttate ot' illinois,have invented new and use't'ul lmprovcnients in Belt-Fastenerstof whichthe following is a full, clear, concise, and enact description,reference being had to the acconipai'iying drawing, forming apart oithis specification.

My invention relates to belt tasteners,- that is, devices designed toconnect the adjoining ends of a belt. t d

The object of my invention is the production of a device ot' thischaracter which will be oi? durable and economical construction, onewhich may be readily and easily applied, and one which will engage withthe adj oining ends of the belt with great lirinness and security. Astill further object is the production of a fastener of the characterinontioned which will rest lliat against the opposite surfaces of thebelt and which will be substantially lHush therewith, so as to avoid the'formation of an Obstruction thereby. @ther objects will appearhereinafter. n

With these objects in view, the invention consists in the combinationsand arrange ments oi' parts hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanyingdrawings forming a part of this specification, and in which- Figure 1 isa side elevation ot a belt of the type with which the device lioi'iningthe subject matter of this application is especially designed for use,said belt being shown mounted for operation,

Fig. 2 is a top plan view oit the adjoining end portions of the belt,said ends being shown connected with belt fastening devices embodyingthe invention;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section taken on line Figs. 4f and 5 areperspective views ot the opposing plates included in the construction;and j Figs. 6 and 7 are perspective views respectively of a bolt and itscooperating nut, used in connection with the plates shown in Figs. 4 and5.

The preferred Vform ot' construction, as

.or other material, the belt being ot enceptionally heavy constructionand being arranged to travel around drums 11 of com! paratively largediameter. To support the belt in the travel thereof between the drums11, two sets of rollers 11 and 11 are provided; the former vfor thesupport of the upper portion of the belt and the latter for the supportof the lower portion of the belt. Such a belt is subjected, when in use,to eX- cossively hard wear and severe strains, neces sitating anexceptionally strong and el'licient connection between the ends thereof,as will, of course, be readily understood.

The device which l have provided to lill this mission comprises twoenlongated dat plates 12 and 13 adapted, when in use, to be arrangedupon opposite sides of the belt in opposing or registering positions, sothat said plates traverse the joint in the belt, as clearly seen in Fig.3. Formed in the opposite ends of said plates 12 and 13 are aliningopenings 14; and 15 respectively adapted to accommodate connecting bolts16 and their cooperating nuts 17. The nuts 17 are provided at theirouter sides with screw-driver slots 18 to permit of engagement therewithoi a suitable tool tor rotating the same.

At the openings 14 and 15 said plates 12 and 13 are formed with inwardlyinclined 4flanges 19 and 2O respectively. Said flanges 19 and 2O resultin the formation oit seats or countersunk portions adapted to snuglyreceive the nuts 17 and the heads ot bolts 1G, so that, in theapplication of the device to a belt, the outer sides of said nuts andbolt heads will be flush with the outer sides of plates 12 and 13, asclearly seen in Fig. 3. The flange 2O is of squared Jormation to receivethe correspondingly formed` heads of the bolts, whereby the latter areheld against relative rotative movement.

The provision ot the inwardly inclined flanges 19 and 20, in addition toresulting in the formation ci' seats or countersunk portions as justdescribed, also results in the formation of inwardly extendingprojections adapted, in the application of the device to a belt, to sinkinto or depress the belt, thereby more firmly grasping or clamping thesame,

with the result that a secure engagement of the belt is effected andpulling or tearing out of the device prevented.

To further aid in the effective engagement of the device with the endsof the belt, the plates 12 and 13 intermediate the bolt openingstherein, are formed with inwardly ex tending prongs 21 which areadapted, in the application of the device to a belt, to pierce thelatter as clearly seen in Fig. 3.

ln order to provide a wide purchase between the nuts 17 and the bolts16, so as to prevent the stripping of the threads, said nuts are formedat their inner ends with reduced extensions 17 adapted to pass throughthe openings 14 so as to engage with a comparatively wide or longportion of said bolts. In the application of the device to a belt, thebolts used are longer than the thick ness of the belt, so that afterapplication of the nuts to the bolts, the threaded ends of the latterwill protrude from the nuts andu beyond the surface of the belt. Theseprotruding bolt ends, after the nuts have been tightened to the pointdesired, will be sheared off through the medium of a suitable shearingdevice. In this shearing of said. ends of the bolts, the latter are madeflush with the outer sides of the nuts, and in the shearing operationthe ends of the bolts are mutilated or distorted to such an extent as tolock the nuts thereon, preventing accidental detachment therefrom.

rllhe endsof the plates 12 and 13 are beveled at their inner and outersides as at 22 and 23 respectively. r1`he beveling 22 at the inner sidesof said plates obviates the possibility of cutting of the belt as mightotherwise occur were square corners em ployed at these points. Thebeveling 23 at the outer sidesl of said plates avoids the formation ofobstructions which might otherwise be formed and against which therollers used in connection with the belt f Vwould pound in the operationof the belt.

l entirely eliminate any pounding action.

ln the connection of the adjoining ends of a belt, a plurality ofconnecting devices of the character described is employed, these devicesbeing arranged side by side in spaced relation extending across thejoint in the belt, as clearly seen in Fig. 2. When thus applied itwillbe seen that the connecting devices will lie flat upon the oppositesides of the belt, the outer sides thereof being practically iiush withthe corresponding sides of the belt avoiding the production of anyobstructions, such Vas might interfere with the rollers about which thebelt moves when in use.

Although the device is shown applied to a belt and this use thereof hasbeen described and claimed, it is understood that the employment of thedevice is not confined to this use, but may be used in a multitude ofdifferent ways to connect the adjoining ends of other devices or membersresembling in form the ends of a belt.

I, therefore, do not wish to be limited in this respect but desire toavail myself of the use of the device in any connection commensuratewith the scope of the claims hereto appended.

Having thus described my invention, what l claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. A device for connecting the abutting ends of a belt, comprising twocoi-extensive plates engaging opposite sides of the belt and extendingacross the abutment of said ends; securing means extending between andconnecting corresponding ends of said plates Iand passing through thebelt; and countersunk seats provided in said plates for the ends of saidsecuring means, said seats being so formed and disposed that they gripthe belt as clamping force is exerted by the tightening of saidfastening means, whereby the plates are embedded in the belt surface.

2. i device for connecting the abutting ends of a belt, comprising twoopposing members engaging against opposite' sides of the belt and eachextending across the abutment of said ends; securing means extendingbetween and connecting said members and passing through the belt, ysaidmembers having openings to accommodate said securing means; andprojections on the inner sides of said members surrounding said openingsand engaging the belt, to cause said plates to become Substantiallyflush with said belt when said fastenings exert a clamping pressure.

3. A device for connecting the adjoining ends of a belt, comprising twoopposing members extending across the junction of said belt ends andhaving openings; securing means extending between and connecting saidmembers and passing through the belt and the openings in said members;and enlargements at the ends ,of said securing means, said members beingcountersunk to accommodate said enlargements and to form inclinedprojections on the inner sides of sai d members surrounding saidopenings for engagement; with the belt.

1i. A device for connecting the `adjoining ends of a belt, comprising`two opposing` members extending across the junction of said belt endsand having openings; securing means extending between and connecting`said members and passing through the belt and the openings in saidmembers; enlargementsy at the ends of said securing means, said membersbeing countersunk to accom mod ate said enlargements and to forminclined projections on the inner sides of said members for engagementwith the belt; and

inwardly extending belt engaging projections on said membersintermediate said iirst mentioned projections.

5. A device for connecting the adjoining ends of a belt, comprising twoopposing members extending across the junction of said belt ends andhaving openings; headed bolts passing through the belt and saidopenings; nuts threaded on said bolts, said members being eountersunl;to accommodate said nuts and the heads of said bolts, said nuts beingformed to pass through the corresponding openings in said members; andextensions of reduced diameter on said nuts passing through thecorresponding openings in said members.

G. A device for connecting the adjoining ends of a belt, comprising twoyopposing members engaging against opposite sides or' the belt 'andhaving openings; headed bolts passing through the belt and saidopenings; nuts threaded on said bolts, said members being countersunk toaccommodate said nuts and 'the heads of said bolts, the eountersunkportions of said members engaged by the heads oit said bolts beingformed to prevent relative rotation of said bolts.

7. A device for connecting the yadjoining ends et a belt, comprising twoopposing members engaging against opposite sides 0f the belt; securingmeans having enlarged ends extending between and connecting said membersand passing through the belt, said members having countersunk openingsto accommodate said enlarged ends and the countersunk portions beingsurrounded with inwardly extending inclined projections which engage thebelt, and the ends of said members being beveled at their inner andouter sides. j

8. A device for connecting the abutting ends of a belt, or the like,comprising tWo opposed plates lying on opposite sides of said belt andeach extending across the abutment ol the belt portions, said platesbeing beveled on their outer and inner sides at the ends thereof wherebyno substantial change in the plane 'faces of the belt is apparent,adjustable means provided With enlarged head portions for securing saidplates together, said plates also being provided with registeringopenings which are surrounded with inwardly extending inclinedcountersunk portions to engage said belt and to seat the enlargedportions of said securing means.

In Witness whereof, l have hereunto subscribed my name.

enonen n. PURPLE.

